"The young milord has no aptitude for learning languages," he observed.
"If you were to go to England, it might be some months before you could
make yourself understood."
The Spaniard, smiling grimly, said, "That's strange, for I was awakened
during the night by hearing him cry out, in very good Spanish,
threatening to shoot somebody. I recognised his voice, and could not be
mistaken."
I endeavoured to look perfectly unconcerned, as if I had not understood
what was said.
"You must have been dreaming, senor captain," observed Mr Laffan; "I
was nearer to him than you, and did not hear his voice."
He then, turning to me, asked what the Spaniard could mean.
"Tell him that the young English lord is indignant at having such
remarks made; that he must apologise for venturing to say such things.
It will be better to carry matters with a high hand."
The captain again smiled grimly, and muttered, "We shall see, we shall
see."
Having finished his meal, without even offering to pay the landlady he
left the house and joined his men, who were waiting for him at the door
with the captive silleros and peons. I followed him out unobserved, and
heard him remark "that they must push on as fast as they could go, and
keep ahead of the two English travellers."
"They are not likely to start for a couple of hours," answered the
sergeant; "and if you wish it, we may find means to stop them."
Some further conversation ensued, when the captain took out a paper, on
which he wrote several sentences.
"Give this to Major Alvez, and if he thinks fit he will despatch a party
to arrest them. You may accompany it, as you know them, and so there
will be no mistake."
Not wishing to be discovered, I returned into the house before I could
hear more. The captain, mounting a strong mule, rode off, followed by
the soldiers and the prisoners.
As soon as they were gone, the men whom Mr Laffan had hired made their
appearance. The two silleros were remarkably fine, intelligent--looking
Indians, dressed in loose trousers and shirt, the universal poncho of
small dimensions over their shoulders, and a large straw hat. They had
long poles in their hands. The peons wore only hats and loose short
trousers. The machine on which the latter carry the baggage is a sort
of frame of bamboo about three feet long, with a cross-piece at the
lower end, on which they rest the load. It is secured with straps,
which first pass round the burden and then go over the shoulders and
across the breast; another strap passes over the forehead, and is
fastened to the top of the bamboo at the back. The peons are careful to
put a pad between the strap and the head and loins, to prevent chafing.
The chair on which people are carried is much the same as the silla de
cargo, except that the chair has rests for the arms, and a step for the
feet. A peon will carry a load weighing a hundred pounds, but sometimes
double that weight. Although neither Mr Laffan nor I intended to make
use of our silleros unless in case of necessity, we thought it prudent
to take them with us, that we might keep up our character as English
travellers. The sillero who had been engaged to carry me was a
well-informed fellow, as I judged from his remarks to Domingo;--of
course, he did not address me.
Some time elapsed before the mules were brought to the door. Our horses
were led by halters; and, that they might be as unencumbered as
possible, their saddles and bridles were carried on the backs of peons.
Everything being ready, we started; the porters, with the loads on their
backs, keeping up easily with the mules. The road for about a league of
the way was tolerable, but it then became so bad that we had frequently
to dismount and trudge on foot. So steep were the hills in some places,
that there was no little danger of our animals rolling over. The mules,
however, accustomed to the ground, inspected it narrowly, then, planting
their four legs together, slid down on their haunches. All we could do
was to sit well back in our saddles, and trust to the sure-footedness of
our animals.
Our first stopping-place was in a ruinous village at the foot of the
mountains--the last we were to see until we reached Ibaque. We occupied
a room in one of the houses, while our attendants formed sheds, and
covered them with large plantain-leaves, which they had brought from
Cartago. From one or two of the very few people we met we learned that
the Spanish captain had gone on ahead, the soldiers we had seen with him
having returned to a fort in the neighbourhood. He must have trusted to
the terror which the Spaniards had inspired by their fearful cruelties.
The Godos had indeed so cowed the natives that they would not have dared
to molest him, else he would scarcely have ventured alone on such a
journey. He, of course, had no luggage or animals to impede his
progress, and would be able to travel faster than we could. As,
however, Mr Laffan and I agreed that he very likely suspected us, we
resolved to push on as rapidly as we could, so that we might, if
possible, reach Bogota before he would have time to warn the authorities
against us.